Safes and other secure containers have traditionally used combination locks for controlling and authorizing entry. Locks were mechanical and relied on a person dialing a correct combination on a rotating dial to access the lock and/or safe for service and repair. The rotation positioned mechanical elements within the lock such that dialing the correct combination allowed a locking bolt to release the container door. For example, traditional mechanical locks, such as Gartner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,667 (1976), rely on a dial rotating tumblers. Proper dial rotation aligns gates in the tumblers. Once the gates are aligned, a fence on a fence lever can enter the aligned gates. Continued rotation of the dial and tumblers pulls the fence lever and withdraws the bolt.
Electronics have replaced mechanical structures in many locks. Electronic locks can use electronics rather than aligned tumbler wheels to sense entry of the correct combination. The electronics can sense the rotary position of a combination lock dial, or a keypad can replace the combination dial. Consequently, instead of dialing a number, e.g., “72,” the user would first push the “7” and then the “2” keys for the same result. Uyeda, U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,870 (1992) and Gartner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,870 (1992) are examples of a keypad entry system for a safe and door lock, respectively.
When the lock is used to secure entry to a container, the electronic components are typically mounted in a housing inside the container door. The housing contains a battery and a circuit board, which contains the electronic circuitry controlling the lock. The keypad is on the outside of the housing so as to be accessible to the user. A cable typically extends between the keypad and the circuit board for transmitting signals between the two components.
Generally, the keypad is on the outside of the keypad housing and parallel to the safe or container wall. Traditional electronic keypads generally include ten keys that correspond with the numbers “0” through “9.”
Presently electronic locks are shipped from the factory with one code set: a “master” or “service” code, typically 5.5.5.5.5.5. When the lock is received by the original equipment manufacturer or installer, the installer mounts the lock on the door. The installer then changes the factory set service code to a “service” code number, which is recorded by the installer with the serial number of the safe and known only to the installer. The installer then enters a user code, typically 1.2.3.4.5.6., using a known time-consuming routine so that the user can access the safe. The user may change the code later on to a number the user will readily remember.
However, the present method of setting a user code is time-consuming and not ideal. For example, having the installer add the user code takes an unnecessary amount of time. In addition, the installer may accidentally record the user code as the service code, corresponding with the safe serial number. When the user subsequently changes the code to their own code the service code will no longer match the safe serial number and is lost forever.
Thus, there is a need for an improved access system for electronic locks that will address the foregoing problems. In particular a new system of accessing electronic lock is needed that eliminates having to add the user (second) code by the installer.